, 1887-08-09

and gaining possession of the keys, or
awaiting the advent of either Sharpless
or Smalley in the iail and overpowering
the visitor, is not known, nor probably
ever will be.
Hunter, horse thief, ~ex-convict, forger,
ETC., who was recently captured here,
became a roommate and bosom friend of
Germs in a short time after his arrival.
Hunter smiled pleasantly and attempted
witty sallies as the irons were being placed
about his ankles and wrists, but the off
GERS were in no mood for comedy, and did
not appreciate his pleasantries.
The prisoners occupying the cells which
were to be opened were dressed and all
ready to depart when their cherished
hopes for liberty were wrecked. Watson
shone resplendently in a new boiled
shirt and a fine black suit, while the re-
mainder were attired in holiday costumes.
A greater portion of the saving was
done with the steel spring of a truss,
which had been prepared for that pur-
pose. Circumstances also indicate that
watch springs had likewise been put to
the best possible use conceivable by the
occupants of the jail. The bolts in the
cell door hinges, which were three-auar-
tiers of an inch in thickness, were severed
very neatly. MIR. Haas estimated that
with the available tools the work neces-
sary to the cutting of a bolt could be per-
formed in FIVE minutes. With such an
extraordinary and unexpected advantage
1t will be seen that the utmost vigilance
could scarcely prevent the cutting, the
necessary implement being in possession
of desperate men, willing to risk life in
their efforts to escape the gallows or long
terms in the ~penitentiary.
-Four villanous looking g were found
in one of the cells. They were four inch.
es in length, and unlike any instrument
OF that character ever seen in this section.
In their manufacture a broom handle, a
dirty towel and about eight feet of win
dow Irvine had been consumed. 1t was
the intention of the prisoners to place
a gag in the mouth of the victim, officer,
guard or trustY, as the case might be,
and tic it there. This procedure would
have caused great pain, if not death to
the object of the attentions of the in
human brutes who intended using the in
struments of torture. A piece Of one
quarter inch rope ten feet long was also
tnnnI inl fhA IrN.I- L.
some one would probably have been found
gagged and tightly bound in its folds.
Many other tools, and perhaps some
weapons we're dropped in the sewer prior
to the retirement of the prisoners to their
cells at the hour of locking up.
All Of the officers did remarkably well
In connection with this affair, but will
probably be more alert than ever in the
future. While it was well known that
preparations were well under way for a
bold and desperate dash and the ring
leaders had been spotted, still it was not
definitely known from what particular
quarter the initial move would be ~inaugu-
rated. 1t was with the object of ascer-
tanning to a certainty Just who were i'm
plicated in the operations that Sheriff
Sharpless instructed Deputy Ben Smally
to close the prison in the usual manner at
the regular time and her stationed him
self at a point where the of
those confined in the Jail could be
watched. Capt. Smith, night guard at
the jail, was present and did his share.
He would probably have had an oppor.
tunity to test his Workmanship on one or
more of the county's pets had not prompt
action been taken at a critical moment.
The two new steel cells recently ordered
by the county commissioners will proba-
bly, arrive Thursday morning and be
placed in position at once, after which
Carr, Watson, Mccoy ct al. will have an
opportunity to experiment upon the
properties and durability of that class of
apartments.
There are many and diversified opin-
ions and theories as to who furnished the
prisoners the outside assistance why they
undoubtedly had. As Nick. the court
house %janitor, remarked. Ropes don't
grow in hat jail"
Perhaps the theory is unfounded and
the supposition preposterous, but is never
theless a circumstance worthy of note
that The LEADER remarked several days
ago that White, the ring ''takir," seemed
very anxious to become a steady boarder
at the county Jail. He was fined Sl5 by
Judge Lee, had $50 in his possession, but
refused to liquidate, and expressed
himself as DESTROYS of serving out his SEN
tence in the county Jail. He eagerly
plead guilty to the accusation of peddling
without a license. If White had no
friends in the prison he has a faculty
of making acquain tancs very rapidly, and
was hand in glove with Mccoy and Carr
twenty-four hours after his advent at the
court house.
The only ''trusty'' about the place is
Sam Raley a colored boy who is serving
sentence for larceny. Sam is said to be